My thoughts on the Phillies season.

Pat the Bat goes deep as Eaton gets his second win.

Pat Burrell’s two-run home run would be the different as Adam Eaton pitches a great six and two-thirds innings to record his second victory of the year as the Phillies defeat the Reds, 3-2. The Reds would score the game’s first run, when, in the third, Edwin Encarnacion would hit his tenth home run of the year while leading off the inning, giving the Reds a quick 1-0 lead. The Phillies would quickly come back to tie the game in their half of the inning, when Chase Utley, who was unable to hit a home run tonight, would hit a RBI single, knocking in Jimmy Rollins, who has gotten on base earlier via a force out. The score would stay that way for the next couple of innings as Adam Eaton and Reds’ starter Aaron Harang would find themselves in the middle of a pitcher’s dual. The dual would end though, when, with a runner on second, and one out, Pat Burrell would hit his fourteenth home run of the season, a two-run shot which would score Utley, who has earlier doubled, to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. In the eighth, the Reds would cut the lead to 3-2, as Javier Valentin hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Encarnacion, who has earlier tripled off of Tom Gordon. After Gordon is able to get out of further trouble in the eighth, Brad Lidge is handed the ball. In spite of giving up two walks, Lidge would get his fifteenth save in as many chances by getting Encarnacion to fly out to end the game.

Adam Eaton is the winning pitcher as he records his second win of the season as he goes six and two-thirds inning, giving up only one earned run on just three hits. His record is now 2-3 with a ERA of 4.63. J.C. Romero would pitch a third of an inning, giving up no runs on no hits, walking a batter and striking out one. Tom Gordon would pitch an inning, giving up an earned run on one hit. Brad Lidge would pitched the ninth, giving up no runs on no hits, as he records his fifteenth save of the year. Aaron Harang is the losing pitcher for the Reds, as he would pitch six innings plus two batters, giving up three earned runs on nine hits. His record is now 2-8 wirh a 3.86 ERA. Rookie pitcher Danny Herrera would make his major league debut by coming in the seventh inning in relief of Harang with two runners on base with no one out, and would get out of the inning, leaving the bases loaded, as he gives up no runs on no hits. Jared Burton would also pitch an inning, giving up no runs on no hits.

The Phillies’ offense would get nine hits in the game, four of them being for extra-bases (3 (2B), 1 (HR)), but they would be held down to three runs as they were unable to break the game wide open in the seventh. Chase Utley was unable to hit a home run for the six straight game, but he would get an RBI for the ninth straight game in a row. Also, Eaton has pitched another good game, which led to another victory for him. It would appear that he has finally turned a corner. Let us hope that it stays that way. The Phillies have now won their third strength game in a row, their eighth in nine games and their eleventh in their last fifteen games. They are also now ten games over .500 for the first time this season. Ken Griffey, Jr. did not start for the second straight game, but did he come into the game in the eighth inning against Tom Gordon, who has already given up six home runs to him, to try and make it seven in an attempt to tie the game with one swing of the bat. He is instead walked by Gordon, who refused to give him something to hit. So, Junior will be trying again to hit number 600 tomorrow.

The third game in the four games series between the Phillies (35-25) and the Reds (28-31, 5th National League Central) will be played at Citizens Bank Park tomorrow night at 7:05 pm Eastern. The Phils’ starter will be Brett Myers (3-6, 5.52), who is coming off a recent win against the Marlins, where he would go eight innings, giving up only three earned runs, all coming in the first inning, on six scattered hits, while striking out eleven. This will be his second start against the Reds, having lost his first start against them back on April 6, as he would go five innings, giving up four earned runs on eight hits, in the Phillies’ 8-2 lost. He will be trying to improve his record while continuing what he did in the last seven innings of his last start. His opponent will be Endison Volquez (7-2, 1.46), who is coming off a recent no-decision against the Braves on May 30, where he would pitch six innings, giving up only two earned runs on five hits, in the Reds’ 3-2 win. He has already pitched against the Phillies this season, as he was Myers’ opponent in the April 6 game. He would recieve the victory as he would go five and one-third innings, giving up only one earned run on five scattered hits. He will be trying to put a stop to the Phillies’ offensive juggernaut while hoping that they won’t light him up.

The first place Phillies have increased their lead to two and one half games over the Marlins as they would loss once again to the Braves. The Braves, with their win over the fish, stay three and a half games behind the Phils. The Phils are presently leading the Mets by four and a half games as they have just won their game against the Giants. The Phillies will be trying to continue their winning way and to further increase their lead against the opponents.

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